Child Employment Week
CHILD EMPLOYMENT FORTNIGHT - 28th March to 8th April 2011
Results will be published April/May 2011
MEMBERS - Go to members area
National Child Employment Week 2010 - Local Authorities’ Success Results In More Children Employed Legally
During Child Employment Fortnight 2010, 39 Local Authorities visited employers across the UK. It was discovered that 65% of school age children working, were employed legally. This is an improvement over previous years and shows that Local Authorities are successfully raising awareness of the legislation. In 2008, 58 % of children were employed legally and in 2009 it was 62%.
Who organises the event?
The Event is organised by The National Network for Children in Employment and Entertainment. The NNCEE is made up of people working within child employment and entertainment legislation to promote safeguarding of children in both industries.
Who Took Part?
Staff from 39 local authorities mainly Child Employment Officers (CEO), Education Welfare Officers (EWO) and members of the NNCEE
What happened this year - 24th May – 4th June 2010?
Letters and information were sent to employers or visits were carried out. 3326 employers were visited and out of 1092 children found working, 374 of these were being employed illegally, mostly without the necessary work permit. A total of 322 employers will be re-visited in the not too distant future.
Most of the employers were unaware of the legislation regarding the employment of school-aged children and the legal requirement of a work permit. The work permit is one way in which the local authority can be aware of children being employed and, therefore, able to monitor the hours that they work and the occupation in which they are employed.
Local Authority staff also handed out leaflets and information packs, manned information stands in local shopping centres. Sent out Press releases and participated in radio interviews. All activities were aimed at raising awareness of the regulations governing the employment of school aged children to help ensure young workers are protected, treated fairly and aware of their rights.
What does the law say?
The law allows a young person to be employed from 14, but Local Authorities can permit a young person to be employed from 13. The Law specifies the permitted hours, types of employment and makes it essential for employers to obtain a work permit for school age employees. It includes the rights of the employee and the responsibilities of the employer. Children working without a permit may not be covered by any form of insurance, regardless of the policies that the employer has in force. Employers who breach this legislation are risking the safety of young people and can face fines of up to £1000.
For further information
To find out more about Child Employment Fortnight in your area or about Child Employment Law please contact your Local Authority or you can visit the NNCEE visit website http://www.bucksinfo.net/nncee/(or 'Put NNCEE in a search engine’).
NATIONAL CHILD EMPLOYMENT WEEK 2009
CHILD EMPLOYMENT WEEK - from 18th May to 29th May 2009 - Did you know that nearly 60 children are seriously injured or killed each year whilst working?
During the 2 weeks commencing the 18th and ending 28thof May 2009, 25 local education authorities involving approximately 200 education welfare officers (EWO) and juvenile employment officers (JEO), visited 2003 employers across the UK.
The visits found 1394 school aged children working in various occupations. Out of those 1394, 541 were found to be working illegally, either without the legally required work permit, working hours outside of the permitted times or working in prohibited occupations.
It is a sad fact that those 541 (approx 38%) were, more than likely, not covered by any form of insurance, regardless of the policies that the employer has in force. I reproduce the quote from Mr Matthew Young, Policy Advisor, Liability and Occupational Health, for the Association of British Insurers:-
“I can confirm that, where an employer breaks a law or Regulation, any
incident would normally invalidate the insurance policy. Employers must
ensure that they have carried out all obligations in law and also are aware of
any risks and other necessary safety procedures before they employ a child”.
Therefore, any contravention of any Statute Law or Regulation governing the employment of school aged children (and there are over 200 such laws or Regulations) would invalidate the insurance policies the employer may have.
This was not a persecution or prosecution exercise, but an ideal opportunity for local authorities to visit employers, shopping centres, markets and any other places where school aged children were, or would be, employed, to offer advice regarding the legal situation regarding child employment, work permits, hours of work and occupations that children can and can not be employed in.
Paul Kirkman - PR NNCEE
NATIONAL CHILD EMPLOYMENT WEEK 2008
Blackburn with Darwen, Suffolk CC, Cornwall, Doncaster, Gloucester, North Yorkshire, Barnsley, Birmingham, Southend-on-Sea, Dudley, LB Enfield, Greenwich, Bath & North East Somerset, Buckinghamshire, Hartlepool, Bournemouth, East Sussex, Stock-on-Trent, Leeds, Devon and 5 other L/A’s from the South East Region.
A total of 215 officers (JEO’s, EWO’s and admin staff) visited 3900 + employers and found in excess of 1200 children working. Approx 500 children working without permits or in excess of hours allowed or in prohibited occupations.
Officers used press releases, radio interviews, manned information stands, issued information packs and leaflets, had items in council newsletters and flyers delivered to households. Carried out assemblies and, in some cases, PHSE lessons. All this activity has raised awareness, amongst employers, parents and school children as well as schools.
The purpose of this year's Child Employment Week was to identify where children are working during the school holiday period and to give employers appropriate information regarding the laws affecting the employment of school age children as laid out in the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (as amended). Child Employment Officers across the country are trying to establish where children are working, when and what hours they are doing.
Visits to Employers will be followed up by Child Employment Officers to check that Employment Permits/ Cards have been issued and to investigate any infringements of the legislation.
One school aged pupil was very seriously burned whilst working in a kitchen. He was employed illegally and without a work permit. He was not covered by the employer's insurance and therefore did not receive any compensation for his injuries.
- Another boy had the nerves and tendons in his hand severed when he slipped and fell whilst delivering milk. He was also employed illegally and without a work permit.
“We are not trying to stop school children working, rather to ensure they are safe so no child is seriously injured or killed'
